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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

Before or AFTER lunch for present opening?

118 replies

38cody · 25/12/2016 00:30

MIL here now, staying over ready for lunch tomorrow.
Younger DC were excited and I talked them through the plan for tomorrow including santa's stocking gifts when they wake up then play, bath, breakfast etc. Lunch then under the tree presents after lunch.
MIL said she's always opened all gifts first thing.
I like to spread it out so there's more to look forward to after lunch.
Of course we're doing it my way. Wondering what the popular consensus is?

OP posts:

MarciaBlaine · 25/12/2016 09:33

We'd done all ours by 8am

KnittingPearl · 25/12/2016 09:41

After The Queen. Stockings whenever you wake up, and then mid afternoon. A friend of mine waits till Boxing Day.

TheRattleBag · 25/12/2016 09:53

Boxing Day here. But no children to consider!

HighwayDragon1 · 25/12/2016 09:55

There's one gift left here for after lunch.

EdithWeston · 25/12/2016 09:58

Stockings first thing.

Presents after the Queen

BenLinusatemyhomework · 25/12/2016 09:59

Stocking first thing. Brekkie. Main presents (a couple each). Play for the morning. Dinner and then a treasure hunt for their "sack full of crap" from Santa at about 2.

Spreads it out nicely and stops the mid afternoon, post excitement come down, thing.

dementedpixie · 25/12/2016 10:00

Stocking first and then presents under tree - all done in the morning. We don't go to church on any day including Christmas Day. Ds (10) was through at 6.35am so opened his stocking up in our bed. We didn't let him go downstairs until 7.30ish when we heard Dd (13) get up (early for her!). Presents done after that and then breakfast.

dementedpixie · 25/12/2016 10:01

P.s. We have our Christmas dinner at 5/6pm so definitely not waiting until after that for presents

MrGrumpy01 · 25/12/2016 10:02

All Santa presents before breakfast which is a stocking and sack.

They have a present each from us so will do that after church.

We do mil presents after lunch otherwise we would be trying to keep an eye on the oven at the same time.

JaceLancs · 25/12/2016 10:32

After lunch here - but that's because there are no young DC
In fact everyone is still in bed including me!

Katedotness1963 · 25/12/2016 10:51

Presents first thing once everyone is up. We've always saved the stockings till the evening, rounds the day out.

Olympiathequeen · 25/12/2016 11:17

Children first thing (cruel to make them wait). Adults after lunch (2 pm)

sj257 · 25/12/2016 11:41

Everything first thing

TheSconeOfStone · 25/12/2016 11:45

Santa's pillowcase of gifts first thing in their bedrooms. Then I make them have breakfast followed by presents. My kids will have more later from grandparents and my brother and SIL when we go there for lunch later. We won't be back from my parent until 6-7 pm which is late for them to be opening presents. I think waiting until lunch is just miserable.

Natsku · 25/12/2016 11:57

Growing up it was stockings and one present in the morning, and the rest after lunch (taking turns to see reactions and try and guess what it is before its opened by the clue on the tag - really loved that)

Now its stocking in bed, then presents from my family and OH's mum under the tree doing it slowly, then the rest we open at FIL's in the late afternoon when Father Christmas (grandma's gentlemanfriend this year) comes round to hand them out and its just hectic present opening, all at the same time.

SocksRock · 25/12/2016 12:09

Santa stockings (mostly tat but usually little craft kits and toys) to fill the morning, usually with a film as well. Was The Cat in the Hat today. Then lunch at 12.30 followed by presents. Copious alcohol.

Toast3 · 25/12/2016 12:28

Santas presents in the morning first thing. Then tree presents after everyone is up, washed, dressed and breakfasted...this is how we used to do it when ours were young - happy Christmas!

Starlight2345 · 25/12/2016 12:32

Presents were unwrapped by 6.30...

Now he has the day to play with his stuff.

fanniboz · 25/12/2016 12:47

Have always opened all presents first thing in the morning. I'd never realised people do it differently! I found out from friends last night that they do theirs after dinner and it blew my mind

ginsparkles · 25/12/2016 13:01

A bit of both here. We do stockings first thing, then breakfast and start in the tree presents. We then get visits from the inlaws and do their presents, then lunch and finish the tree ones in the afternoon, so it's all stretched through the day

Maryann1975 · 25/12/2016 19:48

Stockings when they wake up (but not before 6.30) but main presents Definitely in the morning here, I used to insist everyone was dressed before coming downstairs, but now they are able to dress themselves, I've relaxed that. I don't know what they would have done this morning if they hadn't have had their new things to play with while i was trying to sort dinner for the masses.

Each to there own though, if your kids are happy to wait, that's fine.

IndigoSister · 25/12/2016 20:43

Stockings at 7, presents about 11 then lunch at 3.

MommaGee · 25/12/2016 22:11

Presents from breakfast to lunch then a break for nap / lunch and more presents and some left over for tomorrow...

Musicinthe00ssucks · 25/12/2016 22:17

After lunch for us too. This is how it was done In myhouse growing up and I have carried it on. Like you I want DDs to have a whole day of excitement and presents

daisypond · 26/12/2016 12:16

Stocking presents first thing, and other presents gradually throughout the day, breaking the day into sections. We also have table presents - one small stocking-type present by each person's plate on the lunch table to be opened at the table.

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